Obituary for Elva Loris McTaggart (Olafson)
Elva Loris McTaggart (née Olafson)
April 18, 1935 – May 16, 2022
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Theodore Seuss Geisel
Surrounded by family, Elva McTaggart passed away in Edmonton after recently celebrating her 87th birthday. Elva will be remembered with love and admiration by her very grateful daughter Terri, son-in-law Bob Couch, and granddaughter Joanna Couch (Paul Wright). Also mourning her loss are her brother-in-law Bob McTaggart, sisters-in-law Audrey McTaggart and Joyce McTaggart, numerous nieces, nephews, and many special friends.
She was predeceased by her husband Roy, parents Inga and Oli Olafson, brothers-in-law Wallace McTaggart, Neil McTaggart, Don Rogers and Harry Gray, sisters-in-law Catherine Rogers and Orma Gray, and nephew Glen Rogers.
Elva was born in Glenboro, Manitoba, and raised in a loving family proud of their Icelandic roots. While attending Glenboro High School, she met the love of her life, Roy, with whom she shared 55 years of devotion before his untimely death in 2007. Together they developed strong ties to Brandon. Roy had the knowledge, skill, and desire to build homes, but it was Elva, while also working outside the home, who managed their organized and efficient household and ensured there was a balance between work and adventure. Her love of new experiences and her quest to step beyond the confines of ordinary life resulted in numerous trips abroad to explore other countries and cultures. She said she was willing to try “almost anything” once which led to riding a camel in Egypt and her legendary bungee jump at the Brandon Fair.
Elva loved all animals, particularly every dog that ever crossed her path. Her core instinct to nurture and protect was never more evident than when she was with an animal. She was also a nature lover and spent most summers with Roy camping at Pelican Lake and across North America, creating a large memory bank of inspirational mountains, canyons, streams, lakes, and wildlife. It was in these settings that Elva took communion with the natural world, and of course, a Coke.
She cared deeply about family and enjoyed nothing more than sharing a good laugh over coffee with her friends. She was astutely observant of people, a good listener and her instinct was invariably right. She sensed when help was needed and provided calm reason and practical solutions to assist friends through trying times.
Her own last years were challenged by Parkinson’s disease, but she refused to collapse from the weight of its inevitable progression. She bravely relied on her sense of humour, quiet inner strength and relentless determination to do what she believed she should do and not waver.
Elva’s health problems forced a move to Edmonton in 2018, but her ‘heart and home’ always remained in Brandon. The Celebration of Elva’s Life will take place at Memories Chapel, 330-18th Street North, Brandon on Thursday, June 16, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. followed by a reception at Memories Chapel. Elva will then be laid to rest beside Roy in the Brandon Cemetery.
Donations in memory of Elva may be made to the Brandon Humane Society, 2200 – 17th Street East, Brandon, MB R7A 7M6 or the Parkinson Canada, 316-4211 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M2P 2A9.
April 18, 1935 – May 16, 2022
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Theodore Seuss Geisel
Surrounded by family, Elva McTaggart passed away in Edmonton after recently celebrating her 87th birthday. Elva will be remembered with love and admiration by her very grateful daughter Terri, son-in-law Bob Couch, and granddaughter Joanna Couch (Paul Wright). Also mourning her loss are her brother-in-law Bob McTaggart, sisters-in-law Audrey McTaggart and Joyce McTaggart, numerous nieces, nephews, and many special friends.
She was predeceased by her husband Roy, parents Inga and Oli Olafson, brothers-in-law Wallace McTaggart, Neil McTaggart, Don Rogers and Harry Gray, sisters-in-law Catherine Rogers and Orma Gray, and nephew Glen Rogers.
Elva was born in Glenboro, Manitoba, and raised in a loving family proud of their Icelandic roots. While attending Glenboro High School, she met the love of her life, Roy, with whom she shared 55 years of devotion before his untimely death in 2007. Together they developed strong ties to Brandon. Roy had the knowledge, skill, and desire to build homes, but it was Elva, while also working outside the home, who managed their organized and efficient household and ensured there was a balance between work and adventure. Her love of new experiences and her quest to step beyond the confines of ordinary life resulted in numerous trips abroad to explore other countries and cultures. She said she was willing to try “almost anything” once which led to riding a camel in Egypt and her legendary bungee jump at the Brandon Fair.
Elva loved all animals, particularly every dog that ever crossed her path. Her core instinct to nurture and protect was never more evident than when she was with an animal. She was also a nature lover and spent most summers with Roy camping at Pelican Lake and across North America, creating a large memory bank of inspirational mountains, canyons, streams, lakes, and wildlife. It was in these settings that Elva took communion with the natural world, and of course, a Coke.
She cared deeply about family and enjoyed nothing more than sharing a good laugh over coffee with her friends. She was astutely observant of people, a good listener and her instinct was invariably right. She sensed when help was needed and provided calm reason and practical solutions to assist friends through trying times.
Her own last years were challenged by Parkinson’s disease, but she refused to collapse from the weight of its inevitable progression. She bravely relied on her sense of humour, quiet inner strength and relentless determination to do what she believed she should do and not waver.
Elva’s health problems forced a move to Edmonton in 2018, but her ‘heart and home’ always remained in Brandon. The Celebration of Elva’s Life will take place at Memories Chapel, 330-18th Street North, Brandon on Thursday, June 16, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. followed by a reception at Memories Chapel. Elva will then be laid to rest beside Roy in the Brandon Cemetery.
Donations in memory of Elva may be made to the Brandon Humane Society, 2200 – 17th Street East, Brandon, MB R7A 7M6 or the Parkinson Canada, 316-4211 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M2P 2A9.